SOUTH AFRICAN lawmakers on Tuesday voted to close the Israeli embassy and to cut diplomatic ties until it agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.

This move came as leaders of a developing nations’ emergency summit warned that a “humanitarian catastrophe” was unfolding in Gaza.  

The resolution agreed by the South African parliament also accused Israel of committing genocide during its assault on the besieged territory which has seen more than 13,000 Palestinians killed, mainly women and children.

The motion tabled by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party received the support of 248 parliament members while 91 lawmakers opposed it.

The vote came after Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that it had recalled its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, back to Jerusalem “for consultations.”

South Africa announced last week that it had referred what it called Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza to the International Criminal Court for an investigation. Its cabinet has called on the ICC to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Earlier this month, South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel and withdrew all its diplomatic staff.

During an emergency virtual meeting of the Brics bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and Brazil, India and South Africa, as well as of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accused Israel of war crimes and acts “tantamount to genocide.”

Mr Ramaphosa also condemned Hamas for its attack on Israeli civilians during its uprising on October 7 and said that both sides were guilty of violating international law.

“The collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime,” Mr Ramaphosa said at the start of the summit. 

“The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide.”